Saith Daehpahr hrrafv Llaiirevha
by StarSword-C
Summary: Written for Unofficial Literary Challenge 4 on the Star Trek Online forums. When Velal, Praetor of the Romulan Star Empire, sues for peace with the Romulan Republic, Morgaiah t'Thavrau and D'trel tr'Rihannsu must make it happen. But can they pull it off despite their own doubts, Tal'Shiar interference, and D'trel's hatred of the Empire?
1. Part I

**StarSword:** This is my second collaboration with another author, this time my forum buddy and fellow Janeway-hater worffan101. He's got three different recurring crews, two of them "ragtag bunch of misfits" types, and this one stars the ragtaggiest of them all. The leader, a Romulan by the name of D'trel ir'Aehallhah tr'Rihannsu, born an orphan and chewed up and spat out by the system, then joined the Unificationists and fell in love only to have the group brutally destroyed and her lover raped to death by a Tal'Shiar unit under Hakeev. Yes, THAT Hakeev.

She escaped Romulus by enlisting aboard a _T'liss_-class warbird and after decades under a variety of pseudonyms ended up on Virinat. You can guess what happened after that. After "A Day on the Farm" she forms a motley command crew with a Jem'Hadar First who attributes religious maxims to Odo, an indeterminately gendered alien, a flamboyantly gay Lethean engineer who doubles as her therapist, and a wide-eyed Ferasan noob. Heavily medicated for depression and prone to homicidal rages at the mere mention of the Tal'Shiar, D'trel is nonetheless extremely good at her job.

And here she works alongside the career military Morgaiah t'Thavrau. We've been trying to work up a crossover between the two crews for months, and with the prompt for this piece, "Broken Threads", we decided to put D'trel out of her depth and have her and Morgan close off the dangling plotline of what, exactly, became of the remnant of the Romulan Star Empire. Enjoy.

* * *

><p><strong>Saith Daehpahr hrrafv Llaiirevha<strong>

The two women were sitting quietly before the closed double doors, one twiddling her thumbs and the other at bored rest, sipping from a thermos of tea.

Suddenly there was an explosion of shouts and insults in High Rihan on the other side of the door, which slammed open abruptly. Four Rihannsu in formal robes stormed out with their Tal'Diann bodyguards close on their heels, followed closely by Velal tr'Hrienteh, _Fvillhu_ of the _Shiar ih'Saeihr Rihan_, and two armored _Khhiu'draao s'Shiar_ commandos. They vanished around the corners at opposite ends of the hall and doors slammed shut moments later.

Then the door opened again and a tanned Terrhaha in _Lloannen'galae_ dress whites, ops colors, stepped out of the conference room muttering something that the women on the bench couldn't make out. "Commander Khoroushi," said one of the women, taller, with long obsidian hair turning silver at the temples. "What happened?"

"Well, apparently we said hello, insulted each other, and broke for recess."

The other woman, a wiry brunette with cropped brown hair, snorted at that. "Can't say it's unexpected," she said. "Imperials always have had issues with putting people in good places. What are they upset about, colony worlds in Psi Velorum?"

"Admiral," warned a dark-skinned Letheha lurking to the woman's left. "Calm. Remember what we discussed?"

"Yes," groused the Admiral. "I remember. Peace treaty. Could end the stupid fighting that's _still_ interfering with shipping near the Imperial border. Very important to D'tan. Don't mess it up. I'm not messing it up, it sounds like those chattermouths are doing a good job of it already."

"It would be wise to allow the Human to finish," rumbled a massive Jem'Hadar, standing like a grey-scaled mountain behind the brunette. "For doth not the Thirteenth Word of Odo'Ital state that 'Information is key to any endeavour'?"

"Thank you, Omek'ti'kallan, but I _was _finished," Jaleh Khoroushi said, absentmindedly tugging at her collar. "Honestly, I would've expected Praetor Velal to be more accommodating. I mean, this was his idea."

"Maybe it's the negotiators," suggested the Letheha. "Put High Admiral D'trel in a room with your usual babbling diplomats and she'll lose her patience faster than a night-talon loses its prey in the daylight."

"You mean like that Bah'jorha at _Khre'Riov_ Tuvok's conference in January?"

"The one that made people actually forget about what Quinn's psychotic dog said about the Proconsul?" asked the brunette. "Yeah. That makes sense. _Khre'Riov_ Morgaiah, none of those diplomats have any military experience. I served under Velal during the Dominion War—distant command, as in our ship was the cannon fodder of the task force—and he always seemed like a good soldier to me…"

"I agree," said the taller woman. "I will speak with D'tan and _Deihu_ t'Hei. We may have better luck if we negotiate personally."

"Good idea. Daysnur, Omek, you're my aides, I'm an ambassador for the day. We'll do it like we did the meeting with Obisek. Plus we've got Morgaiah as backup in case I screw up—her record is second to none. How the _Ariennye_ did I get into this, anyway? I'm a soldier, not a diplomat!"

* * *

><p><em>Five days earlier…<em>

_Rahaen'Enriov_ D'trel ir'Aehallah tr'Rihannsu, fresh from a promotion ceremony and a lengthy psychotherapy session, strode briskly through the corridors of _Raenasa_, Daysnur and First Omek'ti'kallan keeping pace behind her.

The petite, wiry woman wore her usual tight expression, the lines on her middle-aged face forming a slight frown. She felt the light itch in her brain that was Daysnur monitoring her to ensure that her new, lower dose of medication was working properly.

D'trel approached Proconsul D'tan's massive office doors—finely carved Terrhain mahogany, considerably fancier than the adapted warbird interior the top officials had been using—and knocked sharply.

"Enter!"

"Proconsul," said D'trel with a crisp salute as she entered. "My apologies for being late, I was taking the _Kholhr_ on a quick test drive to ensure that the modified frame really can take the new armaments. What is the situation?"

"Peace," said D'tan grandly. "Peace with the _Shiar ih'Saeihr Rihan_ at last!"

"I'll believe that when I see it," scoffed D'trel, taking a seat as Daysnur lurked behind her left shoulder, Omek looming to her right. "Ah, _Khre'Riov_ Morgaiah ir'Sheratan," she said, seeing the other woman already seated. "I am honored to meet you at last. May I introduce First Omek'ti'kallan, my first officer, and _Enarrain_ Daysnur, KDF exchange officer, my therapist and associate chief engineer."

"_Jolan'tru_," Morgan t'Thavrau greeted her. She gestured to the two figures behind her, one a stocky, ruddy-skinned man with a scar under his eye, the other a Terrhaha woman in _Lloannen'galae _service blacks. "_Riov _Sarsachen i'Amriel, my _ih'hwi'saehne_, and Lieutenant Commander Jaleh Khoroushi, my Starfleet liaison."

"Not for this mission, _rekkhai_," the commander said, shaking her head. "Can I offer you some tea, _Enriov_? Or something stronger?" she asked D'trel, pouring a measure of ale for herself.

"I thought you were a Muslim, _Enarrain_ Khoroushi," said the Proconsul.

"I am, but I gave up trying to keep _halāl_ on deployment years ago, _lhhai_."

"Well, thank you for the offer," D'trel answered. "I'd like some—"

"Tea," said Daysnur firmly. D'trel swiveled and glared at him, but he didn't so much as flinch. "Sir, you know my policy on new medication regimens. I need a good clear reading on how you're handling the lower dose."

"Fine," grunted the brunette. "If you've got tea, that'd be great. Just plain tea, nothing added. If anyone needs something to eat, I can call Zel for some jumbo mollusks. So. What's the plan?"

_Khre'Enriov_ Klau tr'Kererek spoke up now, passing out PDAs to the women. "_Fvillhu _Velal has contacted us with a request to meet for negotiations. He says that he wishes to end the ongoing war and recognize _Kreh'dhhokh mol'Rihan_ as an independent nation. Proconsul D'tan values this potential for peace very highly, and so we are sending our two best commanders with their ships as escorts for our delegation."

"Latest intelligence from our undercovers says that Velal's managed to restore something resembling order in the _Shiar_ core worlds," Sarsachen added. "However, a number of planets, including my homeworld Kevratas, declared independence in protest after we broke the news about Hobus last year, and the Tal'Shiar have completely gone off the reservation. Source CARDINAL even reports a skirmish in the Abraxas system between Tal'Shiar vessels and the regular _Galae s'Shiar Rihan_ under _Khre'Enriov_ t'Shelyarin."

D'trel leaned forwards intently at that. "Really, now? Given what we saw in Hakeev's facilities and in Hveid-kustais, I can't say that I'm surprised."

"Honestly I'm more surprised it took _this_ long," Morgan remarked in a dry tone. "When I was in the _Galae_ they were the enemy almost as much as the _Khe'lloann'mnhehorael_ or the _Lloannen'galae_."

"We had a commissar with them on the _Ravon_ once," reminisced D'trel as Khoroushi handed her a mug of tea. "The _Riov_ airlocked him and took his gear, sent fake reports. It must've fooled someone, and I don't think we were seen as important enough to target."

D'tan started at that, but Morgan hid an amused grin behind a mug of tea and tr'Kererek nodded in approval. "Sounds like an efficient man. Now, as you can see in your briefing materials, this meeting will be taking place at Khitomer. I had to pull in a favor with Councilman Kriton, but the Klling'hannsu are willing to host the negotiations. The other option was having the Federation host the negotiations on Turkana IV"—Daysnur jerked in surprise and Khoroushi said something rude about Ambassador Sugihara in Farsi—"so we're going with the Klling'hannsu."

"I'll need two _Mogai_-class and a _D'ridthau_-class with six _Dhelan_-class escorts to secure the perimeter," said D'trel, looking over the materials. "Get me… _Nei'rrh_, _Hatham_, _Flaihhsam s'ch'Rihan_, and whatever escorts you can sling together. My ship hits like a boosted Ghorrnha, but it doesn't have the durability to face off a large fleet in the event this goes south. Morgaiah, you concur?"

"Yes," said Morgan with a nod. "I would suggest the _Eyiv s'Rea_ and the _Temer_ as well, _Khre'Enriov_. _Aen'rhien_ will coordinate the escorts. _Kholhr_ can use the battleship and cruisers to flank, should such be necessary."

"Sounds good to me. The Klling'hannsu will probably have a fleet on standby just in case, too."

"Velal also requested a neutral moderator be present, preferably from the Federation," Khoroushi added. "State Department decided to have me do that, since I'll already be there. However, that means I'm going to have to be impartial during the talks. And the other side's going to expect me to favor the _Khre'dhhokh Mol'Rihan_ given my usual job, so I may need to come down harder on your people than I would otherwise. Can you live with that, _rekkhai_?" Morgan nodded reluctantly.

D'tan leaned forward with a rustle of robes. "Before you leave, I cannot stress strongly enough how much we _need_ this peace. Our border war with the Empire has become a battle of attrition, and thanks to the Tal'Shiar and Tholinsu we still need outside help keeping our homeworld secure. We have been taking a greater role in galactic affairs recently, but _Khre'Enriov _tr'Kererek has assured me that we _cannot_ maintain the current pace with so many conflicts ongoing. This is not just a peace deal on one front; this is an investment in the security of our nation. Go with my prayers, and be successful for ch'Mol'Rihan."

The two commanders stood. "_Bedah, Ehkifv Temjahaere _D'Tan_,_" Morgan said in High Rihan, bowing formally. She executed a proper military turn and left the office with her officers trailing behind.

"_Jolan'tru_, _Ehkifv_," said D'trel brusquely. "First, _Enarrain_, with me." She left at a brisk walk, the hulking Jem'Hadar and dark-scaled Lethean following.

* * *

><p>"This will <em>not<em> end well," said D'trel, striding into her ready room and slamming the PDA on her desk. She stuck her head back out the door and yelled to her Breen helmsman. ""Hey, Zel! Get us moving, pick up the fancy-pants diplomats if t'Thavrau hasn't already done it, and point us towards Khitomer!"

"Admiral, isn't this what you wanted?" asked Daysnur. "Peace? Better shot at Unification?"

"Yeah!" said Min'tak'allan from the open door, his tail flicking excitedly. "We could bring them in on our side against the filthy, fangless _qameH quv_!""

"Science Bekk Min'tak'allan, it would be wise to exercise some caution in this enterprise," said First Omek'ti'kallan. "For doth not the Twenty-Ninth Word of Odo'Ital say 'The enemy of my enemy is my enemy's enemy—no more, no less.'?"

"I don't cut deals with my enemies, Daysnur," said D'trel as the young Ferasan nodded thoughtfully. "I trust the _Shiar ih'Saeihr Rihan_ about as far as I can throw it, and while Morgaiah t'Thavrau is one of our top battlecruiser commanders, we've got a team from the civil corps as our negotiators, and you and I both know that they can flub a simple gift exchange. No, this is _not_ going to end well. You know our luck: even if Velal's serious, SOMEthing will inevitably happen to screw things up."

"Admiral. Fatalism. Remember what we talked about?"

"Yeah, yeah," grumbled D'trel. "Got to look on the bright side. Well, on the bright side, there is in fact a non-zero chance that this mission will not fail."

"I recommend giving this mission your all, Admiral," rumbled Omek'ti'kallan. "For doth not the Seventeenth Word of Odo'Ital say 'You can't know that you can't do something until you've given it your very best effort.'?"

"Point, that," remarked D'trel. "Right. Daysnur, head back to your man, and Omek, take the bridge. I need to think."

She motioned for them to leave. Omek did so, pulling the Ferasan with him. Daysnur lingered at the door for a moment, opened his mouth, paused, shook his head, and left.

The door shut, leaving D'trel to sit in her chair and stare silently at the wall.

* * *

><p>Morgan linked her wrist communicator into the <em>Aen'rhien<em>'s intercom as she, two _deihuir_, and their aides and staff materialized on the transporter pad. "All hands, all hands! Prepare to get underway! Set course for the Khitomer system! Senior staff briefing, ten minutes!" She turned to _Deihu_ Hannam t'Hei, and in a deferential tone told her, "_Llhei_, I will show you to our VIP quarters. This way."

"How long will it take to reach Khitomer, _Khre'Riov_?"

"Four days, five hours, as the mogai flies."

The _deihu_ was singularly unimpressed with the accommodations. "Is there nothing bigger?"

"_Deihu khlinae'eri_, this is a combat starship, not a luxury liner. Even my own quarters are far smaller than this, and the enlisted bunk in shifts."

The other woman shuddered and said, "I suppose it will have to do."

"_Bedah, Deihuir_ t'Hei and tr'AAnikh." Morgan bowed and left them to do whatever it was that _deihuir_ did. "Civilians," she muttered to herself as she stalked towards the turbolift to the command deck, nameless crew standing aside for her.

In the wardroom all seven members of Morgan's command staff sat waiting. They came to their feet as she came into the room. "As you were." She poured a glass of ale and sat. "You all know the basics, but let us set some ground rules. Item the first, nobody on this crew is to pick a fight with any _Shiar_ personnel. I don't care if they say your mother was a fvai and your father smelled of eigen berries, you will not throw the first punch. That goes for you especially, Veril." The slim Havranha grunted something belligerent and Morgan took an apologetic tone. "I'm singling you out because _they'll_ single you out. You are Havran, and I don't need to remind you what that means. But the _ekhiv temjahaere_ informs me that getting an armistice is critical to our national security, and that means our conduct is critical to our national security. If somebody _fucks_ this up, this warbird will not be responsible.

"Next, a personal warning for you, _Arrain_ t'Khnialmnae." The small, dark auburn-haired woman shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "Do not _ever_ mention your… prior affiliations in _Rahaen'Enriov_ D'trel's hearing."

"I was a gunnery officer!"

"You were Tal'Shiar."

"I never—"

"I _know_. But D'trel does not, and if she finds out, you may not have time to explain."

Sahuel t'Khnialmnae stood and faced the wall. Presently she quietly said, "I believed I was doing what was right for our people. Keeping order."

"You were on a ship that was responsible for the deaths of hundreds of refugees," Emira t'Vraehn said. "_This_ ship!"

"Doctor!" Morgan cried warningly.

"That was an accident!" By now the redhead's eyes glistened with tears. "And I wasn't even on duty!"

"It's not about you personally, Sahuel," Jaleh told her. "D'trel's lover, among many others she knew, was tortured to death by Colonel Hakeev's secret police unit. She won't see the difference between you and him."

"All we can do is hope that your defection with the _Aen'rhien_ and our subsequent actions will be enough to cleanse the stain on its name," Sarsachen added.

Morgan stood and placed a hand on her tactical officer's shoulder. "I have forgiven you, Sahuel i'Tlhira. If that is not enough, then help me win peace for our people."

"I'm with you, as always, _Khre'Riov_."

"Good." She turned back to the table. "Back to business. Tr'Khev, your intelligence assessment?"

"Velal's desperate, or else he wouldn't have approached us. According to my contacts and our official sources, he managed to get the _Deihuit_ and the core worlds to back him after _rh'Rhiyrh_ Sela disappeared at Brea, but he's short of everything but hot air. He needs peace at least as much as we do."

"What about Velal personally? Anything we can use?"

"My father was an aide-de-camp for him during the Dominion War. He's a pragmatist, doesn't waste people if he can help it. But he's also a patriot."

Morgan let out a breath. "That could be a problem. All right, keep your ear to the ground and coordinate with the Klivam security forces. You find anything you think I should know, tell me immediately, night or day."

"_Ie, rekkhai._"

"Braeg, I'm going to need you to act as my aide. You were in the _Galae ih'Shiar_ more recently than I was. You may pick things up that I don't."

"_Ie, Khre'Riov,_" her science chief agreed.

"Any questions? No? Then man your stations. And may the Elements be with us."

Four Rihannsu, one Havranha, and one _Lloannen'galae_ officer stood and made their way out of the room, but the battle-scarred _ih'hwi'saenhe_ stayed behind. "I've never seen you in quite this mood before, _rekkhai_," Sarsachen tr'Sauringar commented. "Not since _Erei'Riov_ tr'Sevron died. You're actually smiling."

"_Peace_, Sarsachen. If this works out, I am one step closer to my quiet vineyard on Virinat."

"And if it doesn't?"

Her smile faded and she gave him a hard look. "Then we do our duty, and hope the Elements grant us better fortune tomorrow."

* * *

><p>"Incoming vessels, identify yourselves and state your business," the voice on the communicator stated.<p>

"Khitomer Control," the communications officer answered in Federation Standard, "this is Imperial Warbird _Lost Road_, and escorts. You do not have clearance for our business."

"I say again, IRW _Lost Road_, state your business or the orbital defense grid will fire on your ship, _romuluSngan_."

A lean, muscled Rihanha in formal robes sitting at the back of the bridge said, "Khitomer Control, this is Praetor Velal tr'Hrienteh of the Rihannsu Star Empire. If you wish, you may contact Governor Leskit's office for the information for which you are cleared, but rest assured our mission here is peaceful."

"Why should we believe you?"

"If our intent was otherwise, we would not be having this discussion and a third of this planet's population would already be dead, Klivam."

There was a pause. "Are you threatening me, _petaQ_?"

"No, I am stating a simple fact. It is also a fact that our presence here was approved by the High Council, which you would know by now, had you bothered to check with the governor. Now stop wasting my time and direct us to a parking orbit before _I_ contact him for you and inform him of your rudeness and abject incompetence."

"_Fvillhu_!" the sensor officer suddenly interjected. "I have a _D'deridex_-class warbird decloaking one light-minute out! _Galae s'Kreh'dhhokh Mol'Rihan_!"

Then another voice, female, a melodic mezzo, broke in. "Khitomer Control, this is Subadmiral Morgaiah t'Thavrau, Republic Warbird _Bloodwing_. The praetor and his men are to be accorded the respect due their stations as foreign ambassadors. Clear them for orbit _now_, or I will take this up with Councilor Ba'wov of the House of Chel'tok at the next opportunity. Is that clear?"

Velal waited. Finally, "Perfectly, Subadmiral. IRW _Lost Road_, transmitting orbital insertion vector to your helm."

"_Thank_ you," Velal's flag captain said. "_Lost Road_ out."

"_Arrain_," Velal addressed the communications officer, "hail the _khre'riov_, please."

"_Daie, Fvillhu._"

A black-haired, somewhat weathered-looking woman in a _D'deridex_-class warbird's command chair appeared on the screen. "_Fvillhu_ Velal."

"_Khnai_," he cautiously thanked her. "You know, I had a warbird named _Aen'rhien_ under my command at ch'Card'hass. Rescued a third of my crew from space after the Jem'Hadar destroyed the _D'ridthau_."

"Same warbird, _llhai_, though not the same _leih_. Happy to help. I may see you dirtside."

* * *

><p><em>Eighteen hours later…<em>

_Fvillhu _Velal, Dominion War veteran and respected leader of the _Shiar ih'Saeihr Rihan_, entered the conference room with a rustle of his crisp uniform and the clanking of his bodyguards' armor.

"Greetings. I was informed of the change in negotiators; I hope that you will not mince words with me as the others did."

"We don't plan to," said D'trel. "I am _Rahaen'Enriov _D'trel ir'Aehallah tr'Rihannsu, and this is _Khre'Riov_ Morgaiah ir'Sheratan t'Thavrau. Now. What do you want from this deal?" She forced the last sentence through a lemon-sucking grimace.

"_Shaoi kon, Fvillhu_ Velal i'Ra'tleihfi," said Morgan with a respectful nod.

"_Shaoi ben, Khre'Riov_," said Velal, returning the gesture. "Good to meet you in person. Before we begin, let me make one thing clear. While the actions of the former _Fvillhu_ Taris and _Riov _Hakeev were unforgivable, I still personally consider all involved with your movement to be traitors to the Rihan people. But the simple fact is, my government no longer has the resources or political will to do anything about that so continuing our war is foolish and impractical. I have ordered the _Galae_ to cease offensive actions against your forces for the remainder of this summit, but understand they will return fire if attacked."

"Responsible," said D'trel with a vicious half-smile. "I like that. But you _dare_ call us traitors to the Rihanh when your precious _Shiar_ is a nation of empty words and broken promises? There's a reason I became a Unificationist, you know."

Omek'ti'kallan gently but firmly laid a massive hand on D'trel's shoulder. Morgan focused her considerable willpower on not slapping her face.

"_Empty words_?" snarled Velal. "_Broken promises_? You DARE insult my _mnhei'sahe_? What do you know of our _Shiar ih'Saeihr Rihan_, Thaessu-loving traitor?"

"_Fvillhu_," began Morgan, but D'trel's temper had already gotten the better of her.

"_Fvadt_ you, Velal! I thought you were a decent man! I served under you in the Dominion War, damn it!"

"You?" scoffed Velal. "What ship? I suppose you'll claim you were on the _Aen'rhien_ and personally won the Battle of ch'Card'hass?"

"_Rahaen'Enriov_…" tried Jaleh, but D'trel was on a roll.

"The _Ravon_. _T'liss_-class. We were the cannon fodder of the fleet, and you somehow didn't lose all of us, unlike the other fools with thousand-ship fleets. And here you are calling me a traitor for trying to save us from ourselves."

"What are you babbling about?" snarled Velal. "You act like the Empire is broken, unredeemable! But I myself know—"

"YOU KNOW NOTHING!" shouted D'trel, slamming her palm down on the table hard enough to crack it. "You have no _idea_ what it was like in the system! Being given a random name, thrown in with every other rejected infant, being bullied as long as you can remember for having a 'pretentious name' because some lazy clerk was writing a novel in their spare time and accidentally named a dozen children names like 'The' and 'And', and gave others honorific prefixes by mistake; being unwanted for three decades, rejected and cast out by the parents you so desperately wanted, the older children who scorned you, the younger ones who feared you, finally finding someone who wanted you just for being _you_ and having her ripped away by a monster in a man's skin… you know _nothing_. I learned things in the system, Velal. I learned what a pile of hlai dung the _Shiar_ always was, and I learned who _I_ am. I protect those who cannot protect themselves. I punish those who violate the innocent, no matter the cost to myself. I protect even those whom I hate, so long as it is right. You'll never understand it. You have to live it to understand."

"Admiral," rumbled Omek'ti'kallan, squeezing the Rihanha's shoulder. "Please stop."

D'trel took a couple of deep breaths, tears running down her face. Velal was staring, momentarily stunned by her outburst.

"My apologies," said the brunette Rihanha. "That was rude of me. I should have had better control."

"_Lanat bar sheytun_," Jaleh grumbled. "Everyone, take five. We'll reconvene in an hour."

* * *

><p>Velal was studying an intelligence brief when he heard a knock on his door. "<em>Llhai<em>," _Erei'Riov_ t'Nennian, one of his bodyguards, said through the door, "_Khre'Riov_ t'Thavrau is here to see you."

"Odd. Well, send her in."

The door opened and Morgan stepped inside with a bottle of ale and two glasses. "_Jolan'tru_. I brought a peace offering of sorts."

"Your companion is quite the spitfire, _Khre'Riov_," the _fvillhu_ remarked as she poured a generous dollop of aquamarine liquid into the glass.

"She has reason to be. The Elements seem to consider her their personal plaything."

Velal sat back down and held his glass of ale up to the light, checking the clarity and color. Definitely not replicated. He took an experimental sip and let it trail fire down his throat. Flavorful, malty and not overly harsh. "Elements, but that is a fine brew."

"Thank you."

Something about her tone made him look at the woman's weatherbeaten face. "Yours?"

She nodded. "I have a small sideline as a brewer. Had a vineyard on Virinat as well, before the attack." She took a pull from her own glass.

"You're not as hostile as D'trel."

"I saw a better side of the _Shiar_ growing up. Mother was a civil servant, an aide at the _Deihuit_. We split our time between Ki Baratan and the family estate on Sheratan VII."

"Your father?"

"Mother never said. I suspect she was sparing a _deihu_'s _mnhei'sahe_." She placed her empty glass on the table. "I didn't go through what D'trel did. I was too young to serve during the Dominion War—I'm younger than I look, _llhai_, too many years of farm work—but I did serve after that, during the Havran uprising and the Civil War."

"Then why—"

"Why the _Kreh'dhhokh Mol'Rihan_? Because the Tal'Shiar took it all. Everything I had, everything I'd worked for, _thrice_. They destroyed my career twenty years ago, then they destroyed the life I built in exile, and then we learned last year that they had destroyed my family among the dead of Hobus. And the _Shiar_ wasn't helping anymore. It was all built on lies and politics and it bickered and postured while our people starved and died of bloodfire. D'Tan is a naive idealist and I don't agree with his politics, or D'trel's, but he's _trying_. It gives me a reason to believe in something again. A future where I can lay aside my weapons at last." She looked him in the eye. "I will _die_ for that."

"I believe you. And under other circumstances I think we could have been friends."

"For now I'll settle for not being enemies, _Fvillhu_. Shall we try this again?"

* * *

><p>Twenty-two light-years away, <em>Erei'Riov<em> Alhari t'Ihaimehn, tactical officer of the ch'R _Maens_, was sitting in her chair enjoying a cup of tea and the silence of ship-night. So far the patrol on the southern fringe of the _Shiar ih'Saeihr Rihan_ had been quiet. No distress calls, no unexpected anomalies. For once even the retrofitted replicators on the old _D'dhael Aish'anh_-class warbird were behaving themselves.

"_Rekkhai_, I have an odd signal here," the sensor officer said.

"_Fvadt_," she swore. "I knew it was too good to be true."

"_Rekkhai_?"

"Never you mind," t'Ihaimehn told him, making her way through the cramped space to his console. "Show me."

It was a tachyon burst, superluminal matter being dragged below _c_ and consequently self-annihilating. T'Ihaimehn swore again. "Better wake the _leih_."

"That could mean any number of things, _rekkhai_. Ow!" The _amnhhei'saehne_ smacked him across the back of the head with her hand.

"Yes, 'any number of things', and most of the list consists of things I would not wish to face without _Riov_ t'Khellian on the bridge."

"Look, there goes another one." He paused, then his puzzled expression changed to one of fear. "Elements. _Rekkhai_, sound red alert, now! Beginning gravimetric scan!"

T'Ihaimehn yanked the microphone from overhead, "Red alert! All hands stand to for action! _Riov_ t'Khellian to the bridge!"

"_Rekkhai_! Two _Dhelan_-class warbirds decloaking off our starboard bow! Range, 1,500 kilometers and closing fast!"

The _erei'riov_ vaulted a row of consoles and hammered the key to bring the forward shields online, muttering, "Elements preserve us," under her breath and hoping the generators would behave. The _Galae_ was so short on ships now that they'd begun bending any warbird they could find to the cause: the _Maens_ had been a museum ship at Artaleirh, hurriedly retrofitted with systems scavenged from two too-damaged _Mogai_-class warbirds.

For once the Elements were smiling on her: the shields came up without complaint, and not a moment too soon as the sensor officer screamed, "Missile separation!"

"Returning fire!"

* * *

><p>"So we're agreed on the location of the border, then?" Khoroushi checked.<p>

"I have no objections," said Velal. Morgan also assented, as did D'trel, with prompting.

"Good. Adding that to the treaty proposal for the _Deihuit_. Next on the agenda—"

The chamber door shot open and a blonde _Galae s'Shiar Rihan _officer rushed in. "What is the meaning of this, _Arrain_?" Velal demanded. She dashed up to him, dropped a datapad on the table in front of him, and began whispering urgently in his ear. His expression darkened and he abruptly stood. "This… _farce_ of a summit is over," he spat.

"What? Why?"

"One of our ships in the Alpha Onias system has just been the target of a surprise attack by two warbirds of your _Kreh'dhhokh Mol'Rihan_."

**END OF PART ONE**


	2. Part II

**Part II**

_Ever worry that it might be ruined  
>And does it make you wanna cry?<br>When you're out there doing what you're doing  
>Are you just getting by?<br>Tell me are you just getting by, by, by?_

_Where there is desire  
>There is gonna be a flame<br>Where there is a flame  
>Someone's bound to get burned<br>But just because it burns  
>Doesn't mean you're gonna die<br>You've gotta get up and try, and try, and try_  
>— P!nk, "Try"<p>

Braeg tr'Yalu couldn't believe his ears. "What in the name of Water are you _talking_ about?"

"Read the report yourself, if you wish. Your government is using these talks as a distraction while they mount an offensive. I am leaving."

Velal turned towards the door and heard a high-pitched whine, followed by the earsplitting crack of a light fixture exploding overhead. "No, you're _not_," Jaleh Khoroushi spat through gritted teeth, a Type-1 holdout phaser pointed at the ceiling as hot plastic and metal fragments rained down. D'trel's jaw fell open, incipient rant rendered dead on arrival as she wondered how the Terrhain woman had gotten the weapon into the hall. "Allah preserve me, I have had about enough of _all_ of you! Sit _down_!" she bellowed in her best drill instructor voice, drawing on her time as a chief petty officer. Jaleh snatched the PADD off the table and slipped her pistol back into its concealed-carry holster at the small of her back. She flopped down into her chair and took a hard look at the data before declaring, "It's a fake!"

"You cannot be serious."

"These two _Dhelan_-class warbirds that attacked your ship, ch'R _Maens_? This one, the ch'M'R _Hyperian_, was destroyed by the Undine over Qo'noS in January."

"What?"

"I was there, manning the ops station on the _Aen'rhien_. Somebody's running a false-flag operation, _Fvillhu_. Tal'Shiar would be my guess."

Velal stared at her. "I don't believe you."

"The _leih_ of the _Hyperian_ was a man named Makus tr'Sevron," Morgan said quietly. "He was an _erei'riov_, a fine pilot and a single father. His wife was killed by the Orhyhonnsu in 2398." She looked up and caught Velal's eye. "We were courting."

The praetor's brow creased, then he pulled his chair out and sat back down, turning to Khoroushi. "You served aboard t'Thavrau's ship?"

"'Serve', present tense. In my day job I'm her operations officer and Starfleet liaison."

"I specifically requested that the _Lloann'mhrahel_ send a _neutral_ mediator."

"I was ordered by Starfleet Command to be neutral. But to be perfectly honest they think these talks are a lost cause. Proving them wrong would make my career, so if you'd be so kind? Please?"

* * *

><p>The talks proceeded apace over the next three days, tense discussions broken up by the odd bout of accusations and recriminations. D'trel took to sparring with Omek'ti'kallan to relieve the tension, while Braeg and Morgan focused on a proposal to allow cross-border trade of non-military goods by traders approved by both sides' intelligence services.<p>

Around local midnight at the start of the fifth day, Morgan heard a single squawk on her communicator. She left the diplomatic quarters and traveled into the town, a thick cloak wrapped around her against the cold and rain, and to conceal her decidedly non-Khe'lloann features.

Tovan tr'Khev awaited her at a back-alley bar in the spaceport. The air was filled with smoke from probably-illicit substances, and reverberated with the cacophony of Khe'lloann'nasu in varying levels of inebriation belting out war hymns that ranged from mildly off-key to what could charitably be described as an armored frontal assault on the entire history of music. The tattooed security chief placed a white noise generator on the table and the bellowing warriors quickly quieted to a manageable level. "What do you have for me, _Erei'Riov_?" Morgan asked. She took a sip of the liquid in her mug and immediately spat it out onto the table. "And what in the name of Fire is _that_? Bleaghh!"

"You've never had bloodwine?" Tovan took a gulp from his tankard.

"It's horrible!"

"You think that's bad, the ale here tastes like a mugato peed in battery acid."

"I'll stick with water, then."

"Suit yourself, Morgan. About that little altercation in Alpha Onias. Jaleh was right. I got confirmation from a Suliban I know who runs guns up that way."

"You trust him?"

"Rhaego? Elements, no." He gave a derisive snort and took a big gulp of bloodwine. "But his information's always been good. A couple Rihannsu paid one of his face artists to forge a pair of warbird IFF transponders for them a month back. He didn't put two and two together until I contacted him."

"Why would the Tal'Shiar go to a private actor for that?"

"We bought the encryption we use in our transponders from the _Lloann'mhrahel_ under the Khitomer Agreement last year. It's not something easy to fake with Rihan technology, and after Brea III the Tal'Shiar are about as short on resources as Velal."

Morgan was silent for a moment. "The timing is more than a little coincidental, don't you think?"

"I stopped believing in coincidence after I became a cop, Morgan. My guess? Somebody sprang a leak."

* * *

><p>"Right," said Jaleh the next day, scribbling down a note on her PADD. "If both sides are satisfied with the trade agreement, we can discuss the big issue. Military coordination."<p>

"My soldiers won't take orders from your officers," said Velal. "We're the _Shiar ih'Saeihr Rihan_, after all—the men who are still with me can't stand those hypocritical, supercilious Thaessu."

"And I'm sure as _fvadt_ not using _Shiar_ forces unless absolutely necessary," said D'trel. "I don't trust them."

"There will inevitably be joint operations, though," Morgan pointed out, diplomatically. "If nothing else the Undinnsu are still out there, don't forget, as are the Bhorgsu, an enemy against whom none of us can stand alone. It would be best to have a set protocol for such situations."

"Standard protocol, then," said Velal testily. "Highest-ranking officer, then date of promotion, then most tactically powerful ship. We're all Rihannsu here, after all."

"I agree," said D'trel with a sharp nod. "Your men had better get used to taking orders from Havrannsu, though—we have quite a few of them in command positions."

"Fine," growled Velal through gritted teeth. "I'll see what I can do."

"We can try to keep Rihan commanders only on the _Shiar_ border," said Morgan, "but the anti-Havran racism must stop, preferably sooner rather than later."

D'trel's PDA beeped. "Zel? What is it? And it'd better be VERY important."

"Admiral, the Klingon tachyon net just picked up a fleet of warbirds that warped into the system under cloak; they're headed for the planet at high impulse. Reading Republic IFF beacons, but I flew them past _Khre'Riov_ t'Thavrau's intel man and he spotted something. Sending the data to you now."

"Again?" snarled Velal. "You will need some concrete evidence to convince me of your innocence this time."

"These combat ID transponder codes were replaced three hours ago," said D'trel, showing Velal the PDA. "Whoever it is out there _should_ have updated them—"

"—unless they didn't get the encrypted hail from _Raenasa _ordering the switch. Good find, tr'Khev," finished Morgan.

"That does it," fumed Velal. "I am sick and tired of these deceptions! Let's see if you're as good of a _leih_ as your record says, D'trel." He stood and keyed his communicator. "Velal to _Eyhon Ehludet'eri_, the Tal'Shiar are trying to sabotage the negotiations with another false-flag operation. Three to beam up!"

"_Kholhr_, three to beam up, we're going hunting!"

"_Aen'rhien_, four to beam up!" barked Morgan. "Sound combat alert! And notify the Khitomer Civil Authority to prepare to receive wounded!"

* * *

><p>"Get us moving!" D'trel shouted. Zel, bless xir indeterminately-gendered heart, was already pulling the <em>Kholhr<em> up to full impulse and activating the cloak. "Signal _Neirrh_ and _Hatham_, I need battleships to support us! Power up the plasma cannons, prep the torpedoes, and load the hyper-plasma projectile. We're going in hot."

"Sir," said Omek'ti'kallan. "We are being hailed."

"Put it up."

"Seen through our disguise, have we?" snarled a crisply-goateed man in a Tal'Shiar uniform. "Clever. It's a pleasure to see you at last, D'trel ir'Aehallah."

"Who the _Ariennye_ are you, _ahlh aehallhai_?"

"Such language! I am Colonel Merik tr'Kiell of the Tal'Shiar. You killed a couple of my personal friends, D'trel; you remember, Colonel Dorak and Colonel Hakeev?"

"_You die now_," snarled D'trel. "Shut that _ataen_ off! Zel, do you have a trace?"

"Yes, Sir! _Khnial_-class battlecruiser with additional Borg modifications, reading as IRW _Sienov_. Support craft are six _Valdore_-class, two _Llaihr_-class, ten _T'varo_-class, four _Dhelan_-class. All weapons reading hot, moving for the planet. Klingon forces are responding—the Sixth Fleet should be here in ten minutes."

"Lock all weapons and divert all power to the forward cannons—I want them all dead!"

Darkness leaped forwards at a considerable fraction of the speed of light.

"_Aen'rhien_ and _Eyhon Ehludet'eri_ are mobilizing escorts to follow us, Admiral. Our support craft are cloaked and in position."

"Hit 'em hard and recloak us for another attack run," spat D'trel. "Kill 'em like the Borg scum we ran into last month."

"Yes, sir. First, I am ready for evasive maneuvers."

"Torpedoes and plasma projectile locked and loaded," rumbled the Jem'Hadar. "Torpedoes set to full spread, cannons to scatter volley. Admiral, at your leisure."

"_Now_."

Darkness rippled, and spat caustic plasma.

Twenty green masses of fiery plasma streaked out of the upgraded hyper-plasma torpedo launchers, ramming into the Tal'Shiar fleet as hundreds of plasma bolts slammed into the warbirds' shields. _Kholhr_ spun sideways with a scream of inertial dampeners, dropping a massive red ball of superheated plasma as it did so. One of the _Llaihr_-class escorts wasn't fast enough to get out of the way, and detonated instantly.

"Cloak us and—"

D'trel got no further, as four massive _D'deridex_-class warbirds decloaked and slapped tractor beams onto the _Kholhr_'s wings, with the malevolent, insectoid battlecruiser seizing the body of the ship in a vile, green Borg beam.

"_Ariennye_! Zel, evasive maneuvers, full power to engines! Get us out of—"

Tal'Shiar shrapnel torpedoes slammed into the hull, and D'trel was flung from her seat as the _Kholhr_'s always-frayed seatbelts failed yet again.

"_Ariennye_," whispered D'trel as Omek'ti'kallan helped her up, Daysnur screaming over internal coms for someone to reverse the shield polarity already. "They got me. They played me for my rage and hate, and they got me…"

On the TacNet, two of the Republic battlecruisers were taking heavy fire. An enemy _T'varo_-class took a direct hit from the _Hatham_ and was crushed by its own drive singularity, but others closed in.

"Oh, Elements. I've just killed us."

"Velal to D'trel. We're coming in!"

* * *

><p>A gargantuan, predatory <em>Scimitar<em>-class warbird screamed out of the nothingness and disruptor fire and torpedoes crashed into the flank of the Tal'Shiar flagship. "Tal'Shiar vessels, this is Velal i'Ra'tleihfi tr'Hrienteh, _Fvillhu s'Shiar ih'Saeihr Rihan_," the old general growled into the communicator. "You have launched unprovoked attacks on warbirds of the _Galae s'Shiar Rihan_. This constitutes high treason. The penalty is death. _Erei'Enriov_ tr'Haldas! Break and attack!"

Two _Haakona_-class warbirds and a dozen more _T'varos_ phased into existence on either side of the _Eyhon_. "Concentrate all fire on their flagship! Target the tractor beam emitters and weapons arrays!"

"Report from the _Aen'rhien_, _Fvillhu_," the _erein_ at communications said. "_Lloannen'galae_ reinforcements will be here in fifteen minutes, and _Riov_ t'Jarok is leading a relief force from ch'Mol'Rihan."

"What about ours?"

"We're it, _Fvillhu_."

"Hmph. Well, we faced worse odds against the D'Nneikha and Card'hassinsu. Commence attack pattern Tyrava Four!"

Triple plasma streams from the _Aen'rhien_ slammed into the forward shields of the _Khnial_-class, which buckled under the combined assault. "They've released their tractor!" the sensor officer called. "They're coming to starboard, trying to interpose fresh shields!"

"D'trel! In the name of Fire, get out of there! We'll cover you!"

"I AM NOT LETTING THESE SCUM GET AWAY!"

Omek'ti'kallan's voice came over the com. "Admiral, we need to regroup. Continuing the assault at this time will likely result in our destruction."

"_Fvadt! _Zel, get us out of here, reload the torpedoes and power up the hazard emitters, then we kill them all!"

"_Gonaiih!_" Velal barked to his helmsman as they passed the _Sienov_ and splashed a broadside across its bow as it rolled to present its undamaged belly shields; a secondary explosion tore several spines off. "Hard about! Bring us in over the _Kholhr_ and overlap our shields! Then retreat to the cover of the Khitomer orbital guns!"

"_Au'e, rekkhai!_" The titanic warbird tipped up onto its starboard wing and veered into a turn a hundred kilometers wide, a hairpin turn for a ship that size. Even through the inertial dampers Velal could feel the g-forces pressing him into his seat. The ch'R _Eyhon Ehludet'eri_ obliterated an enemy _T'varo_ in passing, and a second simply exploded against the flagship's navigational shields as it fired off another salvo at the retreating _Khnial_-class. It slowed and nestled its broad wings over the stricken _Kholhr_, ventral shields dropping just long enough to bring the smaller vessel within, like a mother mogai scooping up an errant chick.

* * *

><p>"Match pace with that <em>Scimitar<em>!" shouted D'trel over the red alert sirens. "Get our hull patched up and get us back in there, I want that filth Merik to be space dust before the day is out!"

"D'trel, we can't face them out here!" said Velal over the coms link. "If we regroup near the orbital defences, their numerical advantage—"

"_Fine_," snarled D'trel, struggling to control her pathological hatred. "Do it. First, we're flying escort for Velal. Load another destabilized projectile, we'll hit the scum with everything we have!"

"Admiral, remember your therapy," said Omek'ti'kallan. "For the Sixth Word of Odo'Ital sayeth 'Every life is precious. Do not spend your own save to spare another.'"

"Right. Right. Hold on to that. Got to hold on to that… Alright, line us up, keep the orbital defenses OFF until the last moment! Let 'em think they have us!"

"Praetor Velal, this is First Omek'ti'kallan aboard the _Kholhr_," rumbled the Jem'Hadar. "Admiral D'trel plans to lure the Tal'Shiar ships within range of the orbital defense grid by pretending that it is disabled. May you regain your life in Odo'Ital's name! Victory is life!"

"Acknowledged," said Velal tersely over the com. "Fight well."

"This is ch'M'R _Aen'rhien_," said Morgan over the coms link. "Syncing our TacNet to your ship, _Fvillhu_."

"Do the same," snapped D'trel to Zel. "Velal, this is D'trel. We are syncing with your ship and bringing our cruiser backup to bear. Zel, signal the _Hatham_ to ready attack pattern Valdore Seven on my mark."

"_Hatham_ is responding, we have confirmation."

"Good. _Flaihhsam s'ch'Rihan_, get on our right flank and ready that ionized particle beam; _Nei'rrh_, ventral flank, use that phase device if necessary; open fire with the defense satellites on my mark. Zel, do we have another destabilized plasma weapon loaded?"

"Yes, Sir. Min'tak'allan, create a gravity well centered on the _Sienov_ on my mark, try to bunch them together so our cannons can get 'em more easily. Admiral, IRW _Sienov_ is closing at three-quarters impulse; they're headed straight for us."

"Why? Their plan's already busted, they can't kill me, Velal, or Morgaiah and pin it on the other side anymore—oh. Backup plan. They're going to hit us all, kill all three of us. The _Fvillhu_ of the _Shiar_, two of our highest-ranking officers including our best battlecruiser commander, and a bunch of important diplomats. _And_ Khitomer in the bargain. We're like a fruit waiting to be plucked."

"They appear to have made a tactical miscalculation by underestimating our numbers and strength, though," observed Omek'ti'kallan. "This will be their undoing. For doth not the Miscellaneous Words of Odo'Ital state "When possible, avoid attacking targets that outnumber or otherwise prove stronger than you."?"

"Let's hope. Alright, people. Let's keep the casualties to a minimum. On our side, at least. Give 'em _Ariennye_."

"Victory is life!" shouted Omek'ti'kallan, launching a volley of white-hot plasma as the _Sienov_ thundered into range, spewing shrapnel torpedoes.

"Sir?" said Zel, ducking the little warbird around the flank of Velal's gargantuan flagship, targeting and destroying an enemy _T'varo_ with a tachyon pulse followed by two cannon shots to the center of the ship. "Do you need Daysnur?"

"No. I'm good. But that reminds me… Daysnur! I need an overcharge in 5 seconds, can you do it?"

"Jak, overcharge, on my mark! We're on it, sir!"

"Now!"

The weapons systems overloaded, and a flaming tide of superheated plasma blasted out of the warbird's frontal cannons, searing through _Sienov_'s shields. Return fire from a kinetic cutting beam scarred the _Kholhr_'s flank, and sirens blared.

"Damage report!"

"Shields are down on our left flank, redistributing now! Hull structural integrity is down to 94%! Minor hull breach, emergency force fields engaged!"

"Not bad. Bring us about for another pass! Target engines, weapons, and shields!"

* * *

><p>"Support <em>Kholhr<em>, and keep firing on the _Sienov_!" barked Velal. "The Tal'Shiar _ataen_ are concentrating on our command ships—_Llaisnen_, go and support _Aen'rhien_! We have enough firepower on this flank!"

Then the satellites activated.

Green blasts of virulent disruptor energy sliced across space, guided by ch'M'R _Nei'rrh_'s targeting computer, cutting through Tal'Shiar ships like butter. The remaining _Llaihr_-class destroyer detonated instantly.

"Sir, ch'M'R _Hatham_ is taking heavy fire from enemy battlecruisers; two _D'deridex_-class—"

"D'trel, can you assist the _Hatham_?"

"On it," snarled the woman, audibly struggling to contain her rage.

That was one _broken_ woman.

"Alright. We're going to do this like the ch'Card'hass approach. Guns blazing, all cannons to rapid fire. Focus on the enemy flagship, launch the drones and set them to target the _T'varo_s. Now!"

"Engaging, _rekkhai_! Initiating attack pattern Velal Five!"

Disruptor fire lanced out, and drones spat plasma at the circling frigates. _Sienov_'s shields buckled again, then stabilized, its regenerative shields compensating with remarkable speed.

* * *

><p>"Target that <em>Dhelan<em>-class, its shields are weak."

"_Ie, Khre'Riov_!" T'Khnialmnae plugged the limping escort with the plasma beams, and its engines short-circuited, the feedback detonating the core. The _Aen'rhien_ bucked under her feet and a console blew, throwing an uhlan from her chair; another ran by with the fire extinguisher.

"Tr'Sauringar, keep an eye on that _D'deridex_, give _Llaisnen_ support if they need it." Morgan's mind was in a quiet zone of calm, rapidly analyzing the patterns of the Tal'Shiar ships on the tactical plot, looking for strategies and weak points.

"They didn't expect so much of a fight," she thought aloud. "Especially not from Velal's forces. They thought that we'd make a big show of diplomacy but not send a very large escort group, and they keep shooting and ignoring Velal's ships like they expect them to be outdated. Velal must've brought his very best, he really _needs_ this peace…"

"T'Thavrau, that _Khnial_-class is coming back!" Velal radioed.

A barrage of shrapnel torpedoes sprayed in the _Aen'rhien_'s direction. "Forward batteries to point-defense!" she barked. "Divert power to forward—"

"_Rekkhai_, I read no target locks!" t'Khnialmnae interrupted. "They're not aiming at us, they're targeting our escort screen!"

"Oh, _fvadt_…"

A shrapnel torpedo struck ch'M'R _Hatham_ amidships, and the massive _D'ridthau_-class buckled.

"_Aen'rhien_, we're losing core—"

And the _Hatham_ was gone, a thousand souls sucked into a collapsing singularity in a second. The crews of the _D'serek_ and the _Delevhas_ joined them seconds later.

"Drop aft shields."

"What?"

"Drop aft shields and divert all power to the forward battery. Veril, give me an overcharge! One focused burst! Fire!"

And the warbird spat plasma. The full, massive firepower of _Aen'rhien_'s forward batteries slammed into the _Sienov_'s forward shields just as _Kholhr_ blew a massive red projectile up the insectile cruiser's rear. Six of the malevolent tendrils shattered, the ship's weapons systems igniting, secondary blasts blowing debris and bodies into vacuum. The _Sienov_ turned, engines flaring in an evasive pattern as it lumbered out of the battle.

* * *

><p>"D'trel to the fleet!" shouted the brunette woman, waving for the torpedoes to be reloaded. "<em>Sienov<em> is retreating, we will pursue!"

"Velal here, we will assist! _Llaisnen_, remain with _Aen'rhien_ and clean up the rest of this trash! D'trel, I want them alive so that their leader may answer for his crimes in person!'

"You'd better catch him before I do, then," snarled the _rahaen'enriov_. "Because I promised my love to _end_ the Tal'Shiar, no matter the cost. I promised her ghost that I would annihilate them, and I always keep my word! Omek'ti'kallan, full power to the forward batteries! Zel, full impulse!"

* * *

><p>"Alright," said Morgan as the titanic <em>Scimitar<em>-class barreled off after the retreating _Sienov_, the _Kholhr_ cloaking just ahead of it. "_Llaisnen_, this is _Khre'Riov_ Morgaiah ir'Sheratan aboard the _Aen'rhien_. Sync to our TacNet and line up the escorts we've got left into attack formation Velal One."

"_Ie, rekkhai_. Chin'toka formation?"

"Yes, that. All escorts commence attack pattern Shinzon Four on my mark, all cruisers begin attack pattern Donatra Seven at your discretion. Force the enemy towards the defense satellites!"

Republic and Empire ships wheeled in space, lining up with _Aen'rhien_'s magnificent bulk in the center. The remaining enemy, two _D'deridex_-class with two _Dhelan_-class and six _T'varo_-class escorts, struggled to form up under the fire of the defense sats. No, make that one _Dhelan_-class, she mentally updated as the other's starboard nacelle shattered; the other shut down, signalling surrender.

Morgan did a quick head count. One _Mogai_-class, one _D'deridex_, eighteen _T'varo_, four _Dhael_-class, one _D'ridthau_. Excellent.

"Fire at will. Take no prisoners, shoot to kill."

Plasma and disruptor fire pinned the Tal'Shiar ships like insects on a card; the escorts died in seconds, the first _D'deridex_ taking a heavy plasma torpedo to the ventral hull seconds later.

"Concentrate fire on the marked target!"

More weapons fired, this time concentrating on the damaged warbird. The _Flaissan s'ch'Rihan_'s particle beam split it down the middle.

"Last one, clean them up and move to assist D'trel and the _Fvillhu_!"

The lone cruiser tried to divert power to its shields, but the hailstorm of fire from the temporary allies blew through its defenses, spearing its core on a disruptor beam.

The ship imploded. Morgan let out a short breath.

"T'Khnialmnae, bring us about! Move to assist Velal and D'trel!"

"_Allāhu akbar,_" Khoroushi murmured, relieved at the battle's end. "_Allāhu akbar._"

* * *

><p><em>Rahaen'Enriov<em> D'trel ir'Aehallah tr'Rihannsu often hallucinated her love's voice at times like this.

Adani had had such a musical voice. Everything about her… she was like a drug to D'trel, a wonderful, beautiful person in so many ways, with none of D'trel's scars. D'trel had never been happier than the day Adani asked her to be her bonded.

Now, that wonderful voice was a thing of pain, hate, and memories. Memories D'trel didn't like to think about.

"Target engines, weapons, and shields. The engines are already damaged, shove a plasma torpedo spread up their filthy rears and end it."

"Yes, Admiral. We shall be victorious in Odo'Ital's name!"

_You shouldn't do this, e'lev_.

D'trel tried to ignore the voice. Out of all the voices, the screams, the pleading, the wrathful exhortations to kill, this one hurt the most.

Deep inside, she knew, her Adani would be disappointed in her. And the sorrowful voice was the one that brought that knowledge to the surface.

"Engage now, drop the cloak and fire."

"Victory is life!" shouted First Omek'ti'kallan, and a hail of lethal rain blasted down on the _Sienov_, joining a plasma torpedo volley from the _Eyhon_. As the little warbird rocketed past and turned for another run, the massive battleship's engines, shields, and weapons gave out, and a simple tractor beam from Min'tak'allan's console was enough to bring it to a halt.

"Admiral? Your orders?"

_Please, my love. Don't do this to yourself. _

"Alright," whispered D'trel. "Alright. First, hail the _Sienov_."

"Sir?"

"Do it. Now. Before I change my mind."

"Channel open, Sir."

"Thank you, First. Colonel Merik tr'Kiell of the Tal'Shiar, you are under arrest for murder, conspiracy to commit murder, crimes against sentience, and high treason against the _Shiar ih'Saeihr Rihan_. Anything you say can and will be used against—"

"She died well," said Merik with a faint smile.

"… What?"

"She died well. Didn't scream once, although she may have wanted to once we removed her vocal cords."

"_Who are you talking about_?"

"You know, D'trel. It took us a while, after we finally got our hands on that movie you were in. It was simple enough to find the original recordings and get the details that _hevam_ left out. I was one of the ones who violated her until she died, you know? Me and Dorak and Hakeev, a few others. It was good fun. Dorak was a little drunk an hour in, he tried his amateur surgery on her." The man chuckled, looking for all the world like a friendly, benevolent uncle. "That didn't end well."

D'trel stood, stock-still, unable to process what she was hearing.

"Well, D'trel? I'm defenceless. At your mercy. Go ahead and take your revenge. Or should I tell you how she started to bleed down below after the first hour and a half? Or maybe how Hakeev suggested that we stretch her on a rack after she managed to get me in the groin with her knee? Or how we did the same thing to every other prisoner we captured that day over the next few months? How we burned them afterwards and used the ashes to fertilize our _enriov_'s plants? Come on, you b*tch! What are you waiting for?"

"Admiral," snarled First Omek'ti'kallan. "You should not have to listen to this filth. He is an abomination before Glorious Odo'Ital, for his deeds violate the First, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, Tenth, Twelfth, and Sixteenth Laws of Odo'Ital. Give the word and we will send him to the Criminal One."

"_No_," managed D'trel in a nauseous whisper. "_No!_ Death is too good for this _ahlh aehallhai_. Transport him to the brig and hand him off to Velal on the condition that I get to help his interrogators. Then data-mine that ship's computer for every fragment of intel and share it with the _Galae s'Shiar Rihan_."

"Admiral? Are you all right?"

"I need to see Daysnur," she said, and bolted for the turbolift.

"NO!" shouted Merik. "NO! GET BACK HERE! TAKE YOUR REVENGE, DAMN YOU! BLOW MY SHIP TO _ARIENNYE_, YOU SCUM!"

"SILENCE!" thundered First Omek'ti'kallan. "Third, beam this foul demon of Ferenginar to the Brig. I will lead a boarding party alongside Praetor Velal's men. Praise Odo'Ital!"

"First," Min'tak'allan reported, tail twitching, "I have a fleet of Klingon starships coming out of warp 1,200 kilometers astern. Getting a signal from the IKS _HoSbatlh_."

"Onscreen."

A stocky orangey-bronze Lethean in a camo-pattern combat hardsuit appeared on the monitor. "Tal'Shiar ships, this is General Brokosh of the Imperial Klingon Defense Forces. You have violated sovereign Imperial space and attacked foreign representatives under our protection. Surrender now or—hold the phone. It's over already?"

Behind the _HoSbatlh_, a titanic _bortaS'qu_-class cruiser dropped out of warp and barreled forwards at full impulse. "Tal'Shiar scum! This is Koren, daughter of Grilka, Captain of the glorious IKS _bortaS'qu_! You will—what the… What do you _mean_ we missed out on a glorious battle? ARGH! I haven't seen any action since Qo'noS! Why does it _always_ take an impending apocalypse for me to get to kill things?"

"Koren, you damn fool, get back in formation," the Lethean grumbled, pressing a palm to his face.

* * *

><p>Daysnur knew he'd have to handle this carefully.<p>

D'trel had come straight to his quarters/office, ordered him up from Engineering, and broken down.

On the plus side, Velal had heard Merik's rant. The _Fvillhu_ had taken the Tal'Shiar thug into custody with the attitude of a man handling some particularly noxious rubbish. Velal's technicians had determined that the _Kholhr_'s final salvo had knocked out the Tal'Shiar ship's self-destruct, and Merik had been unable to delete the ship's files from its disabled computer.

While logically and tactically Daysnur could understand why Merik had tried to goad D'trel into destroying the _Sienov_, it didn't make him any less sick to his stomach.

"We'll use mind probes on him and then bring _Rahaen'Enriov_ D'trel in for his execution," Velal had promised. "While I am still not fond of this… upstart state, I can understand the position of its citizens and soldiers better now. Perhaps, one day, the children of ch'Rihan will be united once again. For now, though, rest assured that the _Shiar ih'Saeihr Rihan_ will stick to the terms that we have outlined here, and will assist in all operations against the Tal'Shiar. They are now considered enemies of the state, and will be treated as such."

Daysnur knew D'trel would be pleased, later.

But for now the woman was lying on her back in her bed, staring at the ceiling.

He knew what he needed to do, to get her back on her feet. That didn't mean he liked it.

"Alright, Admiral. Starting the merge in 3… 2… 1…"

He slipped into her mind.

The Lethean noticed the blank horror immediately. D'trel couldn't even hate at this point, she was just frozen with horror.

Not good. Not good at all.

_Alright… slip in here, dredge up some old happy memories… reinforce those, suppress connections to negative memories… endorphin release…_

D'trel was crying now. Good. She needed to release the grief. Daysnur pulled most of the way out.

"Admiral. Go ahead and cry, it's all right."

"Why did they do it?" she whispered, weeping onto his shoulder as he held her in his wiry arms. "Why? She never hurt anyone in her life, none of us did… Ameh ir'Tanat gave decades to the _Shiar_ and they killed him like an animal… and they never stop! They _always _find me, they always take _everyone _I love!"

"Not this time," said Daysnur. "We're still here, after all."

She clutched him like a distraught child clutched its mother.

"I know you've lost everything. I know that you think you're broken. But you know something, D'trel? I think she'd be proud of you. I think that you're a good person through it all, and I believe that if your love could see you now, she would be proud of you. We all stand with you—me, Jak, Zel, Omek'ti'kallan, Viasa, the whole crew—we know that you need us, and we are _here_ for you and we will never leave. I know that you can't replace what you have lost, but I promise you that you will _never_ have to go through such loss _ever_ again. We will help you build a better future, and we will bring you what happiness we can. I promise you this, and the others will agree. You are a wonderful person, and you _deserve_ happiness."

She never replied. Daysnur held her, letting her cry on his shoulder until she slipped into sleep, then laid her gently on the bed.

At least she wasn't thinking of that sick monster Merik. That could only be a good thing.

_Fire and Night, I need to clean out my brain_… thought Daysnur. He spared one last look for D'trel, then went to get a drink with his boyfriend.

* * *

><p>As the sun set the next evening, Morgan stood atop the dais in the Hall of Heroes on Khitomer in full dress, honor blade and battered old disruptor pistol belted at her side, holding a scroll of replicated parchment with a wooden handle. <em>Fvillhu<em> Velal and an _erei'enriov_ she didn't recognize stood in the front row below her, her own senior staff to his left, D'trel and her crew to his right. Behind him, that Letheha general, Brokosh, and a small, wiry, emerald-skinned Oryhonha captain, both of them in ceremonial armor. Brokosh looked amusingly uncomfortable, what with all that heavy leather and those plates of dense durasteel. Behind them, hundreds of Rihannsu, Khe'lloann'nasu, and miscellaneous aliens packed the hall. More were watching on giant screens outside, she knew, as they had watched the preceding battle.

"Peace," Morgan said. "I never thought I'd see the day. We remain a divided people, but we have peace between our two sides, with our _mnhei'sahe_ intact. It's a beginning."

She opened the scroll. "Alas, too many of us are not here to see it. They served under different flags, but together they shed their blood and their lives for hope, for a possible future." She reached for a glass of water and took a big gulp, then allowed her eyes to fall to the scroll. "_Riov_ Giellun tr'Asrafel, _Leih_, Republic Warbird _Auspex_. _Erein_ Gwiu t'Mrian, _Amnhhei'saehne_, Republic Warbird _Auspex_. Commander Estefania Ramirez _y_ Suiza, _Lloannen'galae_ liaison, Republic Warbird _Auspex_." Forty-four more names from the _Auspex_. The _T'varo_-class had taken a direct hit early in the battle, screening the _Aen'rhien_ from a torpedo attack. Then, "_Erei'Riov _Mheven t'Tyrava, _Leih_, Imperial Warbird _Brak'en_. _Erein_ Llaesl tr'Tei, _ih'hwi'saenhe_, Imperial Warbird _Brak'en_…"

_SAITH_

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong> Fun ride, that one. Lotta shout-outs (how many can you name, lol?), lotta action. Only real regret, I couldn't find an excuse to put Daysnur and Brokosh in the same room—I figure they'd have a lot to talk about.

The ch'R _Maens_, or IRW _Gauntlet_, was a ship that appeared during the Battle of Artaleirh at the beginning of _Rihannsu: The Empty Chair_. It was a super-heavy cruiser that gave Kirk and Ael a hard time before the latter knocked one of its nacelles off with an asteroid. Likewise the name of Velal's flagship, _Lost Road_, may seem a little incongruous on a _Scimitar_-class, but there is sense in it. The Rihannsu reuse the names of Journey ships (the colony ships that took them to Dewa III and then ch'Rihan during the Sundering) a lot, and _Lost Road_ seemed thematically appropriate. _Bloodwing_ (ch'M'R _Aen'__rhien_), _Vengeance_ (ch'M'R _Kholhr_), _Rea's Helm_ (ch'M'R _Eyiv s'Rea_) and _Shield_ (ch'M'R _Delevhas_) are likewise Journey names.

Jaleh not keeping _halal_ isn't that much of a problem: Islamic dietary laws explicitly state that you can ignore them if there's nothing else available, which, I would think being the only Muslim for parsecs in any direction would qualify (just like under kosher, the food has to be prepared in certain ways, and it's not like the Romulans would know how). Although admittedly she still could avoid alcohol, but that's me covering a goof I made in "Aen'rhien Vailiuri" where I had her having a friendly drink with Tovan. (Granted, a lot of Western Muslims in real life ignore that rule.)

Worffan and I had two completely different reasons for sticking Koren in there. He loves her, I think she's annoying. But we both thought it would be funny to piss her off like that.


	3. Voice Cast and Rihan Glossary

_**Headcanon voice cast:**_

_Rahaen'Enriov _D'trel ir'Aehallah tr'Rihannsu, CO, ch'M'R _Kholhr_: Linda Hamilton circa _Terminator 2_

First Omek'ti'kallan, XO, ch'M'R _Kholhr_: Chiwetel Ejiofor

_Enarrain_ Daysnur, chief engineer, ch'M'R _Kholhr_: Alan Tudyk

Zel, tactical officer, ch'M'R _Kholhr_: Kevin Michael Richardson

Science Bekk Min'tak'allan, sensor officer, ch'M'R _Kholhr_: Wil Wheaton

_Khre'Riov _Morgaiah ir'Sheratan t'Thavrau, CO, ch'M'R _Aen'rhien_: Dina Meyer

_Riov _Sarsachen i'Amriel tr'Sauringar, XO, ch'M'R _Aen'rhien_: Christopher Eccleston

_Arrain _Sahuel i'Tlhira t'Khnialmnae, tactical officer, ch'M'R _Aen'rhien_: Daniela Ruah

Lieutenant Commander Jaleh Khoroushi, operations officer and Starfleet liaison, ch'M'R _Aen'rhien_: Naz Deravian

_Enarrain _Braeg ir'Nequencia tr'Yalu, science officer, ch'M'R _Aen'rhien_: Chow Yun-Fat

Doctor Emira i'Kallia t'Vraehn, CMO, ch'M'R _Aen'rhien_: Parminder Nagra

_Erei'Riov _Tovan ir'Hfihar tr'Khev, chief of security, ch'M'R _Aen'rhien_: Jon Huertas

_Fvillhu _Velal i'Ra'tleihfi tr'Hrienteh, head of state of the Romulan Star Empire: Stephen Yoakam

_Ekhifv Temjahaere _D'tan, head of state of the Romulan Republic: Vidal Peterson

_Khre'Enriov _Klau tr'Kererek, supreme commander of the Romulan Republican Force: Tom Selleck

_Deihu _Hannam t'Hei: Salli Richardson

Colonel Merik tr'Kiell, CO, ch'R _Sienov_: Terence Stamp

General Brokosh, Flag Officer-in-Command, Klingon Sixth Fleet: Murphy Guyer

Captain Koren, daughter of Grilka, CO, IKS _bortaS'qu_: Secunda Wood

* * *

><p><strong>Rihan language glossary, taken or developed from the Imperial Romulan Language Institute:<strong>

_**ahlh aehallhai**_: profanity

_**amnhhei'saenhe**_: tactical officer

_**Areinneye**_: Hell. "Urru Areinneye!" = "Go to Hell!"

_**arrain**_: military rank, equivalent to a Starfleet lieutenant (OF-3)

_**ataen**_: profanity

_**au'e**_: emphatic "yes"

**_Bah'jorha_**: Bajoran

_**bedah**_: formal farewell

_**Bhorgsu**_: Borg

_**Card'hassinsu**_: Cardassians (sing. Card'hassinha); see also ch'Card'hass

_**ch'Card'hass**_: Cardassia Prime (lit. "[planet] of the Cardassians")

_**ch'Mol'Rihan**_: New Romulus (lit. "[planet] of the New Declared")

_**ch'Rihan**_: Romulus (lit. "[planet] of the Declared")

_**D'Nneikha**_: the Dominion (lit. "great empire")

_**daie**_: "aye, sir"

_**deihu**_: senator (lit. "elder"), Romulan legislator

_**Deihuit**_: Senate, Romulan legislature

_**ehkifv temjahaere**_: Proconsul, head of state of the Romulan Republic

_**enarrain**_: military rank, equivalent to a Starfleet lieutenant commander (OF-4)

_**enriov**_: military rank, equivalent to a Starfleet admiral (OF-9)

_**erei'enriov**_: military rank, equivalent to a Starfleet vice admiral (OF-8)

_**erei'riov**_: "subcommander", equivalent to a Starfleet commander (OF-5)

_**erein**_: military rank, equivalent to a Starfleet ensign (OF-1)

_**fvadt**_: profanity, akin to "damn"

_**fvillhu**_: Praetor, head of government of the Romulan Star Empire

_**galae**_: "fleet", but referring to Romulan adoption of massed airpower after settling Romulus, rather than being a maritime allusion. One might infer that Romulan space navies have more in common with the US Air Force than the Navy.

_**Galae s'Kreh'dhhokh Mol'Rihan**_: Romulan Republican Force (lit. "New Romulan Republic Fleet), naval service of the Romulan Republic

_**Galae s'Shiar Rihan**_: Romulan Imperial Fleet, naval service of the Romulan Star Empire

_**gonaiih**_: helmsman or conn officer

_**Ghorrnha**_: Gorn (adj. Ghorrn, pl. Ghorrnsu)

_**Havranha**_: Reman (adj. Havran, pl. Havrannsu)

_**hevam**_: human (derogatory, akin to calling a black guy the n-word; pl. Hevammsu)

_**ie**_: "yes" (general-purpose)

_**ih'hwi'saenhe**_: first officer or executive officer

_**jolan'tru**_: semiformal greeting/farewell, akin to Hawaiian "aloha"

_**Khe'lloann'na**_: Klingon (colloquial, lit. "more of them, from somewhere else", due to circumstances of first contact with the Federation; adj. Khe'lloann, pl. Khe'lloann'nasu)

_**Khiu'draao s'Shiar**_: Imperial Army, ground military service of the Romulan Star Empire

_**khnai**_: "thank you", superior to inferior

_**khre'enriov**_: "supreme commander", military title akin to Commander-in-Chief of the Federation Starfleet (in real-world terms, comparable to the Chief of Naval Operations prior to the Goldwater-Nichols Act)

_**khre'riov**_: "subadmiral" (lit. "commander-general"), military rank akin to Starfleet commodore or rear admiral (OF-1)

_**Klivam**_: Klingon (derogatory; pl. Klivammsu)

_**Klling'hannha**_: Klingon (formal; adj. Klling'hann, pl. Klling'hannsu)

_**Kreh'dhhokh Mol'Rihan**_: [New] Romulan Republic

_**leih**_: commanding officer

**_Letheha_**: Lethean

_**llhai**_ / _**llhei**_: "sir"/"ma'am" (honorific for non-military superior)

_**Lloann'mhrahel**_: United Federation of Planets (colloquial, lit. "them, from there", due to circumstances of first contact)

_**Lloannen'galae**_: Federation Starfleet

_**mnhei'sahe**_: Lit. "Ruling Passion", the Romulan concept of "honor". Out-of-universe, based heavily on the ancient Roman value "gravitas". Has a lot to do with saving and maintaining face.

_**rahaen'enriov**_: "high admiral", akin to Starfleet fleet admiral (OF-10)

_**rekkhai**_: non-gendered address to military superior, akin to Starfleet "sir"

_**Rihanha**_: Romulan (adj. Rihan, pl. Rihannsu; Rihanh = "the Romulan people")

_**rh'Rhiyrh**_: Empress, head of state of the Romulan Star Empire (defunct)

_**riov**_: "commander", akin to Starfleet captain (OF-6)

_**shaoi ben**_: formal hello, superior to inferior

_**shaoi kon**_: formal hello, inferior to superior

_**Shiar ih'Saeihr Rihan**_: Romulan Star Empire

**Tal'Diann**: Romulan Military Intelligence, akin to Starfleet Intelligence (or in real life, the Office of Naval Intelligence) as the internally operated intelligence service of the Romulan military. Name used for functionally identical agencies in both the Empire and the Republic. Overshadowed by the Tal'Shiar.

**Tal'Shiar**: Imperial Secret Service, former paramilitary intelligence service, secret police, and ideological enforcement arm of the Romulan Star Empire (no direct Earth analogue; they're sort of an amalgamation of the KGB + popular perception of Communist Party political officers + Waffen-SS). As of 2409, effectively a state unto itself, no longer fully controlled by the Imperial government.

**_Terrhaha_:** human, from "Terran" (adj. Terrhain, pl. Terrhasu)

_**Tholinsu**_: Tholians (adj. Tholin, sing. Tholinha)

_**uhlan**_: military rank, akin to Starfleet enlisted rate of crewman or petty officer

_**Undinnsu**_: Undine (adj. Undin, sing. Undinha)


End file.
